The Story of Stuff, the book!

Annie Leonard appeared on the Colbert Report to promote her new book, The Story of Stuff

Annie Leonard admits her online short-film sensation, The Story of Stuff, doesn’t say it all. Luckily, she has written a book that tells us everything the original 20-minute video left out about the production, consumption, and disposal chain that we are used to in America. The Story of Stuff, the book goes into much more detail about the stages of the materials economy and provides examples from around the world.

This book also provides solutions and signs of hope. Annie writes:

I share stories of traveling in Bangladesh, South Africa, India and other countries, visiting the factories where our stuff is made and the dumps where it is dumped. I share stories of pollution as personal as my own toxic body levels to the site of the largest chemical industrial disaster ever –Bhopal, India. And I share why, in spite of all the dire environmental data emerging every day, I am full of hope that we can turn things around.

To promote the new book, Annie made a guest appearance on Comedy Central’s, The Colbert Report (look for her around 16:00).

After joking that Americans are winning — we’re beating the Europeans on how much we shop — Stephen Colbert encourages everyone to buy the book and don’t throw it away. When you’re done, you can donate it to your local library, share it with friends, or even compost it!

Annie just wants everyone to show more appreciation and reverence for our stuff – that includes where it comes from, where it will end up, and who it may affect along the way.